The H.I.S.S. of the A.S.P: Understanding the Anomalously Sensitive Person - Hardcover

David Ritchey

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0929915291 ISBN 13: 9780929915296

Publisher: Headline Books, 2003

Synopsis

More than five million Americans are "Anomalously Sensitive Persons (ASPs)."  An Anomalously Sensitive Person exhibits uncommonly high levels of sensitivities, not only in the emotional realm, but also in the physiological, cognitive, altered states of consciousness, and transpersonal ("metaphysical") realms as well.
     The sensitivities of an ASP can manifest in many different ways: in the physiological realm as immune/auto-immune disorders or heightened sensory awareness; in the cognitive realm as learning disorders or genius; in the emotional realm as emotional disorders or heightened intrapersonal and interpersonal attunement; in the altered states of consciousness realm as dissociative disorders or creativity; and in the transpersonal realm as extra-sensory perception (ESP), psychokinesis (PK), out-of-body experiences (OOBE), trance channeling, or Kundalini arousal.  The traits of the ASP, which originate in the structure and chemistry of the brain, have important psychoogical, medical, educational, and social implications.  While persons who are unusually sensitive may have a variety of psychological and physiological problems, including decreased life expectancy, simplistic attempts to "correct" this condition may be at the expense of undermining potential extraordinary abilities.
     Drawing on vivid case histories and concrete data generated by testing hundreds of people with an innovative questionnaire, David Ritchey investigates the links between a person's sensitivities and a host of other factors related to biology ("nature"), history ("nurture"), and temperament ("personality").
     This persuasive work, on the leading edge in the field of transpersonal psychology, carries the reader to the frontiers of higher consciousness and human potential.  It is a thought-provoking, life-changing book that has profound significance for the ultimate comprehension of the nature of the human spirit.

About this title

From the Publisher:

What do you have in common with Einstein, Edison and Mother Theresa?

Are you an A.S.P.? More than five million Americans are "Anomalously Sensitive Persons (A.S.P.s)," according to a provocative new book, The H.I.S.S. of the A.S.P.: Understanding the Anomalously Sensitive Person, by David Ritchey.

A.S.P.s are both unusually creative and highly sensitive to physiological, cognitive, and emotional stimuli, Ritchey states, and they are prone to experiencing altered states of consciousness, including the "transpersonal (or "psychic") state." Their gifts often result in major contributions to society. Well-known examples of people who are likely to be ASPs include Mother Theresa, Eleanor Roosevelt, Thomas Edison and Albert Einstein.

Drawing on 10 years of research and the testing of a cross section of the American population, Ritchey identifies the possible brain structures, hormonal influences and other factors that appear to underlie the experiencing of such things as extra-sensory perception, psychokinesis, trance channeling and alien contact.

Being an A.S.P., Ritchey says, carries with it a heavy price -- including shortened life expectancy, emotional problems, immune disorders, and other conditions that perhaps arise out of a difference in brain development. The A.S.P. brain, and the compensatory mechanisms it develops can, however, be the basis of genius.

"In our society, being different results in being labeled," he says. "In the case of the A.S.P., genius may be labeled as pathology, and treated accordingly." For example, some instances of Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) may be an indication of giftedness that is suppressed by pharmacological and psychological interventions because society views ADD behavior as different or disruptive.

This book is an adventure like none you've ever before embarked upon. Whether or not you are an A.S.P., you cannot but come away from the adventure knowing much, much more about yourself, your fellow humans, and about the almost unimaginable realm of possibilities which pertain to this 3-D world-- I could not recommend a book more highly. --Robert C. Girard, President, Arcturus Books

From the Author:

"Weirdo," "space shot," "air-head," "flake," "ditz"...these are some of the names applied by their friends and acquaintances to people who exhibit the traits of an "Anomalously Sensitive Person (ASP)."  The names are not exactly complimentary, but then they are generally used light-heartedly and innocently.  Considerably more ominous are the names applied by so-called "mental health professionals" -- "Schizotypal," "Borderline," "Hysteric" and the like.  The pathologizing and denigrating nature of those labels is not very likely to improve the mental health of an ASP.
    This book, and the research underlying it will, I hope, help to counterbalance such pejorative treatment of individuals who differ from the conventional norm.  It is unquestionably true that ASPs are different.  They tend to be uncommonly bright, uncommonly creative, uncommonly insightful, and uncommonly empathic-- and our society can benefit enormously by recognizing and drawing upon all of the gifts that these unique people have to offer.  If you are an ASP, I hope you will take heart -- the recognition and validation that you so justly deserve may be just around the corner.  If you are not an ASP, I hope you will open your mind to the potential that is inherent in another person's unusual way of perceiving the world.

About this edition

• Publisher: Headline Books
• Publication date: 2003
• ISBN 10: 0929915291
• ISBN 13: 9780929915296
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 400